


Under the Stars

by Kevin_Mask (Nikolai_Knight)



Category: Kinnikuman Nisei | Ultimate Muscle
Genre: Bonding, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Friendship/Love, M/M, Romance, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-02-20
Packaged: 2019-11-01 07:44:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17863217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikolai_Knight/pseuds/Kevin_Mask
Summary: Terry the Kid spends an evening stargazing with Checkmate.





	Under the Stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Checkmate123](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Checkmate123/gifts).



It was silent . . .

The only sounds were those of traffic in the distance, something faint and mumbled, and all else was simply the rustle of the wind against the trees, while a few stray leaves drifted across the freshly cut grass and caught at his feet. Terry smiled. He sat cross-legged on the field, where so many had picnicked and sketched and socialised during the daytime. There was a strange loneliness during the night-time, while the moon shined down.

A few footsteps echoed out behind him. Terry turned and craned his head upward, where a shadowy figure came and stood to his left, and – as his eyes slowly adjusted in the darkness – Terry patted the grass beside him, while a small smile cracked over his features. The figure sat beside him, close enough that his features became clear. _Checkmate_. The moon caught at his pale eyes. Terry blushed. He caught the scent of expensive cologne, as Checkmate leaned back and stretched his legs outward, and he watched the stars with an impassive gaze.

“I am surprised to find you here,” said Checkmate.

Checkmate turned his head, as he watched Terry and smiled. It brought a few soft lines to his eyes and cheeks, while his pale eyes continued to glitter, and Terry swallowed hard with a few lost words stumbling and stuttering from his lips, until he heaved a shuddered sigh. The beating of his heart echoed out in his ears, while a heavy sweat broke over his vital points. A cool breeze caught at his blond locks, as he instinctively slid closer to Checkmate, and the warmth from his body exuded through his armour and onto Terry’s skin. Terry whispered:

“Kevin recommended the place, to tell the truth.”

“Why would he recommend it here?”

“Shinjuku Gyoen is split into three sections,” said Terry. “There’s a French part, a Japanese part, and an English part . . . Kevin was saying it’s uncanny. I heard him talking to Chloe. He reckoned it was _exactly_ like the English countryside, so he couldn’t even tell the difference, and he comes here when he’s homesick, like to feel better? It reminds him of home.”

“Is the English countryside much like the one in Texas?”

“Nah, not in the least.” Terry laughed. “I just needed a place to go and think, and I figured my pops always liked England, so why not? I don’t know. I didn’t expect to feel much of a connection here, but I did get them to let me in after dark one night, and . . . _look_. You can see the stars! It isn’t as bright as the stars back home, but it’s still there . . .

“I used to love life on the ranch. Pops would sit me on his lap and tell me stories, while some days Momma would take me horse-riding, and always – _always_ – the stars would be the same, just changing according to seasons. When I sit here and look up, I guess . . . I feel . . .”

“You feel you’re seeing what they’re seeing.”

“Yeah, like we’re sharing the same sky and still connected in our hearts.”

Terry leaned back and lifted his gaze. Checkmate followed. They watched as the stars twinkled and shone far ahead, while a few familiar constellations drifted into sight, and somewhere – across the ocean – his parents would be waiting for night to fall so that they could appreciate those same stars. Every so often, Checkmate would subtly watch Terry from the corner of his eyes, and Terry would blush with an awkward smile. Checkmate edged a little closer and cleared his throat, before he asked in a quiet voice:

“You are proud of what you accomplished, Kid?”

“You mean proud of failing the preliminaries?” Terry shrugged. “I ain’t exactly proud, but I ain’t ashamed . . . I know my dad said that I did good, but I also know that I missed out on the chance of a lifetime, and – nah – I don’t regret what I did . . . a life is more important than a championship belt, but I also . . . I _wanted_ to prove my worth, you know?”

“I understand, Kid. I wanted nothing more than to showcase my abilities, to gauge my strength, and test my talents against others that strive for the same. It broke my heart to miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime chance, but I could not live with myself if harm befell a human.”

“Yeah, we took an oath as _chojin_ to always protect people. A part of me thinks that there should be exemptions for circumstances likes ours, but then you hear guys like Kevin talking about how _chojin_ have to be fierce and brutal and have no mercy and –”

“If that is the kind of _chojin_ they wish to be, I should want no part of that. I have lived life constantly feeding off anger and jealousy and apathy, but it is not a good feeling and does not compete to the sensation of seeing your friend smile or a citizen cry with happiness or even the gentle touch of a loved one whom you so admire . . . one that you love . . .”

A hand was slid between them. It rested on the grass, just a few inches from Terry. A gasp escaped Terry, as his heart raced and his mouth ran dry, and his fingertips tingled with the need to reach out, as he prayed he wasn’t misreading the situation. The long and pale fingers were angled towards him, with the little one twitching ever closer, and soon it was _just_ touching the outside of his leg, while Checkmate pursed his lips and stared to the skies. He was nervous, just as Terry was nervous. Terry licked at his lips and shrugged.

“I guess the only person whose opinions matter is me, right?” Terry smiled. “Still, I think you’re right and I do care what others think about me, but _only_ the people who matter and the people I trust and the people I can call my friends . . . the people I love, too.”

Terry cleared his throat and placed his hand on Checkmate. A bright smile overcame Checkmate, who turned his hand and entwined their fingers, and – with a blush on both their cheeks – they chuckled and squeezed with affection. The warmth was a welcome reminder of unconditional love and the presence of another, while the smooth strokes of the callused thumb on his palm lured a soft sigh from his lips. Checkmate whispered:

“The stars truly are beautiful tonight, Kid.”

“Yeah, they really are,” said Terry.


End file.
